Wisconsin Cooperative Extension

1
Wisconsin Cooperative Extension

• Has International Found a Partner in
• Multicultural?

2
International Work, 1990-2003

• 1990-97, international as professional
  development
• Faculty seminar in Dominican Republic
• Group study tour in New Zealand
• Group to Australia
• Individual experiences--NELD, Wis. Rural
  Leadership

3
Recent International Work

• Individual agent/specialist initiatives
• Network of interest exists
• Partnerships with USAID, VOCA, Farmer to Farmer,
  etc.
• Some University time, no funding

4
Shift in Perspective

• Support for internationalizing Extension
• Leadership assigned, John Preissing
• Training, partnerships, scholarly work
• Interface with multicultural

5
Current Multicultural Efforts

• Plan 2008, action plan for multicultural
• Coop. Ext. has diversity goals
• Civil rights education and compliance is
  cornerstone
• Outreach to people of color expected
• Many multicultural programs
• Diversity Think Tank
• Task ForcesNat. Amer., Hmong
• Hispanic/Latino Workgroup gathering resources
• Emphasis on outcomes and impacts

6
International as Part of Multicultural?

• Funding is major challenge, partnerships needed
• Accountability expected
• Good educators, independent, politically savvy
• Demonstrate benefits to learners at home
• Demonstrate scholarly work
• Carryover to competency in multicultural work at
  home
• Rewards in peer review, tenure system,
  performance evaluations
• Help colleagues learn to do this work

7
Example Puentes (Bridges)

• Babcock Institute, Alma Public School System,
  Buffalo Co. Extension
• Coordinator Carl Duley, Dairy Agent
• Combines international, multicultural

8
Puentes Goals

• Integrate Latino immigrants into communities
• Teach cultural understandings
• Teach languages
• Improve employer/employee relationships

9
Activities

• FarmersSpanish class
• Mexican employeesESL
• FarmersSpanish immersion and education about
  Mexico
• Farmersvisit families of employees
• Community discussions
• Comprehensive evaluation

10
(No Transcript)
11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
International Outcomes Impacts

• Program repeated in 2002
• Highly successful for farmers/employers
• Employees learning Spanish
• Employee satisfaction high
• Community gaining understanding of immigrants

14
(No Transcript)
15
Helping Communities Respond

• Arlen Albrecht, CNRED agent, Taylor County
• Extensive international experience
• Environmental Education
• Business Counseling
• Economic and Community Development
• Local Government Education

16
Albrechts International Dimension

• Peace Corps, Wisconsin Nicaragua Partners, Farmer
  to Farmer
• Bilingual
• Deep understanding of Latin cultures

17
Focus on Latinos

• Taylor County responds to Latin immigrants
• Major businesses, downtown retail, job service,
  public schools, churches, county health
  department
• Support for immigrants, employers and county
  residents.

18
Extension Agent Role

• Extension facilitation skills
• Community development expertise
• Cultural knowledge, bilingual skills
• International development skills
• Asset mapping, etc.

19
International Outcomes Impacts

• Major business w/10 Latino employees expects 100
  by June 2003
• Albrecht can demonstrate the value of his
  international experience

20
Internationalizing Extension

• Has International Found a Partner in
  Multicultural?